Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined 21 other attorneys general in suing the federal government over new eligibility guidelines for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — known as SNAP.
The federal legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” narrowed SNAP eligibility for certain groups, including refugees, asylum recipients, and others admitted to the U.S. under humanitarian protection programs. According to the state attorneys general, a U.S. Department of Agriculture memo on Oct. 31 “incorrectly asserted that all individuals who entered the country through these humanitarian pathways would remain permanently ineligible for SNAP, even after obtaining green cards and becoming lawful permanent residents,” according to a statement on the lawsuit from Ellison’s office.
The USDA memo also noted that federal legislation expanded the age range for able-bodied adults without dependents subject to a time limit on benefits to individuals aged 18 to 64. And, it noted that a typical 120-day grace period for states to adjust systems without penalty expired on Nov. 1, 2025.
In their lawsuit, the group is maintains that the USDA guidelines contradict federal law and will “impose massive financial penalties on states.”
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“It is extremely troubling to once again have to take President Trump to court to stop him from taking food off our neighbors’ tables,” Ellison said in a statement. “If the United States accepts refugees fleeing war, famine, and persecution, the last thing we should do is let them go hungry once they are here.”
In their lawsuit, the attorneys general are asking the court to “vacate the unlawful guidance” and block it from being implemented.
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